Beaming with happiness on the way to the hospital, Philip stopped in the park to buy flowers for Stephanie. Elsewhere in the park, Victor talked to an investigator about researching everything he could about Arianna Hernandez. "She's got her claws in my grandson, and I want to know why," Victor growled.

At the motel, Brady threatened the motel manager over the Internet video of Philip and Melanie, warning the manager that he'd suffer the consequences if he didn't remove it immediately. The manager worked to take the video down , but he had difficulty. The manager swore that he could not take the video down, so Brady shoved the man out of the way and attempted to remove the video from the website himself. After a moment, Brady managed to delete the video. The motel manager ordered Brady to leave, but Brady was still too angry. "You and I have some unfinished business, pal," Brady said through gritted teeth.

The motel manager apologized, but still furious, Brady accused the manager of enjoying "ruining people's lives." When there was a knock on the motel room door, Brady pushed the manager aside, and let in two police officers. To the manager's surprise, the officers were there to arrest him.

At Salem hospital, two candy stripers showed Nathan and Stephanie the sex video of Philip and Melanie on the Internet. A horrified Stephanie backed away from the computer while Melanie walked into the room and spotted the video. Furious, Stephanie accused Melanie of being the most "disgusting person" that she ever met. Nathan closed the laptop computer and shooed the candy stripers out of the room so that Melanie could explain the video. Tearful, Melanie claimed that the video was a fake, but Nathan warned her to stop denying what was on the video and explain the contents instead. Upset, Nathan excused himself to go back to work.

"I'm such a fool. I thought you were my friend, Melanie," Stephanie said as she wiped back tears. Melanie claimed that she was still Stephanie's friend, but that it was a misunderstanding. When Stephanie questioned the extent of the affair, Melanie assured Stephanie that the sex was a one-time thing. Melanie reminded Stephanie that she was the one attempting to reconcile Stephanie and Philip, but that Stephanie had repeatedly rejected Philip. When Stephanie asked Melanie to explain why she posted the sex video on the Internet, Melanie looked as if she had been struck across the face.

"Stephanie, I would never do that," Melanie pleaded. Stephanie refused to believe anything that "party girl" said, and told Melanie that she continued to be a magnet for trouble. As Melanie attempted to keep herself together, Philip entered the room and asked what was going on. Melanie began to protest her innocence to Philip, but Stephanie ordered Melanie to shut her mouth and leave the room. "I'm so sorry," Melanie said as she ran out the door.

Stephanie opened the notebook computer and showed Philip the video. Trapped, Philip explained that he had sex with Melanie after Stephanie broke up with him, when he was feeling lost. Hurt, Stephanie argued that she was tired of Philip's manipulations and claims that he had changed.

"I will never forgive you," Stephanie said. Stephanie reminded Philip that she had given him every opportunity to come clean about any relationship with Melanie. With a pained look on his face, Philip admitted that he had failed to tell the truth because he believed that Stephanie would not forgive him for spending the night with Melanie.

Philip pressured Stephanie to tell him whether she could have forgiven him if he had told her the truth about his night with Melanie earlier, but Stephanie avoided the question. Noting her evasions, Philip proclaimed that her reaction was proof that she would not have forgiven his night with Melanie regardless of when he told her about it. Philip urged Stephanie to believe that sleeping with Melanie was just a one-time thing that he had never planned on repeating again. Philip professed his love to Stephanie and begged her to stay with him. Shaking her head in despair, Stephanie walked out of the room.

At the nurses' station of Salem Hospital, an embarrassed Melanie looked at Nathan, and he walked away from her. As Melanie stood at the counter, sniffling, Brady walked up behind her and assured her that the video was no longer up on the Internet. Melanie told Brady that he was too late, and then she broke down into tears and fell into his arms.

Sami stopped by the Brady Pub while she was on her walk with Sydney. After Sami picked up her food and started to leave, a woman commented on how Sydney looked just like Sami.

In Maggie's kitchen, Chad sneaked in through the back door and looked around for Mia's journal. Instead, Chad found the certified letter from Dr. Baker's lawyer. Curious, Chad studied the letter, but did not open it. While Chad wondered aloud why a lawyer was contacting Mia, Maggie entered the kitchen and demanded to know why Chad was standing in her kitchen. When Maggie went to call the police, Chad explained that he was an old friend and co-worker of Mia. Maggie was unsure, because Mia had never mentioned Chad before.

Still upset, Maggie told Chad that she did not like that he was there alone and holding Mia's mail. Chad explained that he was just looking at the envelope while he was waiting and that he had no intention of opening it. Maggie took the letter from Chad as Mia entered through the kitchen door. Mia corroborated Chad's story, and Maggie suggested that Mia not give her keys out to her friends anymore. When Maggie offered to leave Chad and Mia alone, Mia explained that Chad would not be staying.

Mia pulled Chad outside onto the porch and demanded to know why he had her keys. Chad explained that he had found her keys on a table at Java Cafe, but Mia did not believe his story. Chad argued that Mia lied to Maggie because she was still in love with him. Angry, Mia noted that Chad was acting like a stalker and begged him to leave her alone. Frustrated, Chad explained that he could not stop thinking about her and he believed she was having the same feelings for him. Uncomfortable, Mia asked Chad to leave.

In Sami's apartment, Nicole reviewed the certified letter from Dr. Baker that was delivered that afternoon. When there was a knock at the door, Nicole stuffed the letter in her purse just as Rafe let himself into the apartment. Rafe questioned why Nicole was in the apartment by herself, but Nicole explained that she was there with Sami's permission. Nicole reminded Rafe that he had previously noted that he was glad Sami had Nicole as a friend.

Suspicious, Nicole asked Rafe, "What the hell are you up to?" Rafe explained that he was there to pick up his mail. As Rafe went through the mail, Nicole nervously shifted in her seat and pulled her purse closer to her body. When Sami returned home, she was unnerved to find Rafe and Nicole alone together. Before Rafe could say anything, Nicole acted as if she was ill and ran to the bathroom.

Rafe explained to Sami that he was there to pick up his mail. When Rafe noticed a nearby pile of mail, he rushed to the bathroom and started banging on the door. Inside the bathroom, Nicole ripped up the certified letter and flushed the pieces of paper down the toilet. Smirking triumphantly, Nicole opened the door to let Rafe in and then walked back out to the living room. "What are you hiding, Nicole?" Rafe said as he looked around the bathroom.

When Nicole returned to the living room, she told Sami that Rafe had tried to enter the bathroom while she was still in there. Shocked, Sami asked Rafe to explain what he was doing. Rafe pointed out that Nicole had run to the bathroom when she figured out what he was looking for in the mail.

"Why would I care if you were going through Sami's mail?" Nicole asked. Confused, Sami asked Rafe to explain what he had against Nicole. Nicole argued that Rafe was jealous of her friendship with Sami, and annoyed, Rafe admitted that he did not like Nicole and was worried about how close she had become with Sami.

Sami told Rafe to keep his "unsolicited opinions" to himself regarding Nicole. Claiming that she trusted Nicole, Sami warned Rafe to back off. After Nicole left, Rafe joked about Sami and Nicole's friendship, frustrating Sami further. "Well maybe you just want to keep it a secret. We haven't had enough of those lately," Sami joked sarcastically. Shaking his head, Rafe told Sami that he did not trust Nicole.

"I never thought I'd say this, but I think you're the one that I shouldn't trust," Sami said defiantly. After saying that she was tired of the lies, Sami demanded that Rafe hand over his copy of her keys. Rafe complied quietly, and then he walked out the front door.

At the Brady Pub, Rafe was sitting sullenly at a table when Arianna walked in. Rafe told Arianna that Nicole likely stole the letter that Dr. Baker sent to Sami, but that he could not tell Sami that because she would not believe him. Worried that Sami would never trust him again without proof, Rafe decided to keep silent and let Sami "live in peace."

Outside the Brady Pub, Victor talked on the phone to his investigator about Arianna. Walking determinedly into the pub, Victor went up to Arianna and asked to talk to her privately.

While Chad stood on the porch of Maggie's house with Mia and tried to convince her to listen to him, inside the house, Nicole quietly crept into Maggie's kitchen from the living room. Nicole quietly talked to Sydney about her good fortune in keeping the keys to Maggie's that Lucas had given her long ago, and then spotted the letter from Dr. Baker's lawyer. Just as Nicole was celebrating finding the last letter, Mia walked into the kitchen and asked what she was doing.

Mia noted that the letter in Nicole's hand was for her, and Nicole explained that the letter was from her lawyer. "I guess I'm just going to have to admit it. Mia, I did a terrible thing," Nicole said. Worried, Mia pushed Nicole to explain what was going on. Nicole said that she had filed a restraining order against Mia and that she regretted the decision and was hoping to get rid of the letter from her lawyer before Mia saw it. "Just give me the letter, Mia. Please?" Nicole begged nervously.

Turning on the charm, Nicole told Mia that she had been through enough pain and did not want to add to it. When Nicole asked Mia again to hand over the letter, Mia reluctantly gave it to Nicole. "You deserve to be happy. You are a good person with a good heart," Nicole said. Mia thanked Nicole for making Sydney happy and said that she did not doubt that she made the right decision in giving Sydney to Nicole. When Nicole was outside the house out of earshot, she exclaimed "It's over! It's finally over!"

While drinking his coffee at the Brady Pub, Rafe received a call from Sister Theresa. "You wanted to talk to me?" asked Sister Theresa. "I do," Rafe said solemnly.

At the hospital, Melanie sobbed on Brady's shoulder. He tried to reassure her that he knew she hadn't meant to hurt anyone when she'd slept with Philip, and he promised to help her get through it. "You're the best guy in the whole world," she managed through her sniffles. "Arianna is so lucky."

Arianna arrived at the Kiriakis mansion to meet with Victor, as he'd asked. She was excited to get to know her boyfriend's grandfather a little better, so he quickly clarified that he'd been investigating her. Arianna assumed that Victor thought she was after the family money, but he asserted that her second, "real" job as a cocaine dealer provided her plenty of income. Arianna politely argued that Victor was misinformed. Victor angrily ordered her to stop lying or he'd have her arrested immediately.

Victor then asserted that had no intention of revealing how Arianna made a living. "What about Brady?" she asked. Victor shook his head. "If you have to ask that question, you're not only a low-life criminal, you're exceedingly stupid." Victor told her that when Brady returned home in the next few minutes, she would greet him for the last time. Arianna reluctantly nodded that she understood.

After Victor walked away, Arianna ran for the door, softly exclaiming, "I can't do this now. I can't." But just as she reached the foyer, Brady opened the front door. Arianna explained uncomfortably that she'd stopped by to see how Melanie was holding up. Brady replied that Melanie wasn't doing well, because Philip and Stephanie had seen the video.

Seeing an opportunity in Melanie's plight, Arianna noted that Brady seemed to constantly need to rescue damsels in distress, citing all the things he'd done for Melanie, Chloe, and Nicole. Brady was taken aback as Arianna called him "codependent," maintaining that she didn't need to be rescued, so a relationship between them could never work.

Brady didn't buy Arianna's argument for a second, demanding to know what else had happened. She "admitted" that she'd just spoken to her ex-boyfriend, and she'd realized she still had feelings for him when she found out he was thinking about moving to Salem. Brady pointed out that Arianna had always insisted her ex was a "loser drug addict" who couldn't stay clean. She argued weakly that she was tiring of Brady's holier-than-thou attitude.

Brady asked incredulously if she'd just realized that after their night together. Arianna fought back tears as she insisted somewhat unconvincingly, "Well, we had sex, and it was great, but...sometimes you only have to experience it once." Brady ordered her to leave, so she obeyed, but once she was outside, she began to weep bitterly.

At the Brady Pub, Hope informed Dean that a few weeks before the kidnapping, a witness had spotted Brenda, the female kidnapper, kissing an unidentified man outside the motel where she was staying with her brother Kyle. Dean wanted to be the one to follow up on the lead, for Ciara. Although she pointed out that he was supposed to be on medical leave, Hope agreed. She then advised Dean that she would make sure he received the reward money. Dean maintained that he'd only been doing his job, but Hope insisted, because Dean had saved her daughter's life.

When Philip went to the Bradys' house to talk to Bo, he was surprised that his brother already knew about the sex video of Philip and Melanie. Bo informed him that they had arrested the motel manager for making and publishing the video. Philip suspected that Melanie had been in on it. Bo explained that Melanie hadn't even known about it until a few hours earlier, when she had enlisted Brady's help to get the video taken down.

Just then, Stephanie stopped by to ask Bo if he had talked to her parents, but stopped cold when she saw Philip. Bo went upstairs to give them some privacy. Philip was pleased when Stephanie said she was glad he was there-until she threw her engagement ring on the floor at his feet. He picked it up sadly, and reminded her that he'd given up his family and his career for her. Stephanie argued that he'd done it for himself. When Bo returned, Philip gave up and left.

A dejected Melanie let herself into Maggie's kitchen, relieved to be home after an awful day. Just as she was remembering something kind that Nathan had said to her, he walked in the back door, but tried to brush past her quickly. Melanie stopped him to attempt to explain what had happened, but he was incredulous that she hadn't been honest with him.

Melanie made a tearful plea for Nathan not to throw away their budding friendship, but he interrupted. "Not only don't I know you, I don't think you know yourself, Melanie." As he walked out, a devastated Melanie sank into a chair, weeping. A few minutes later, Philip knocked on the back door.

Stephanie sobbed to Bo that she hated Philip for what he'd done, but she would never love anyone as much as she loved him. Bo put his arms comfortingly around his niece, and was offering to drive Stephanie home when Hope arrived with Dean.

Hope declared that she was wiring the reward money into Dean's bank account right away, even though it was against Bo's wishes. After Stephanie gushed about Dean's bravery, she and Bo left. Dean noted the tension between the Bradys, feigning concern for their marriage. Hope urged him not to worry about it, because they would always be grateful to him for saving their daughter's life.

Hope then explained that she'd taken Dean home with her so Ciara could see the heroic man who'd saved her. As Hope went upstairs, Dean absentmindedly flicked his lighter, smirking to himself. "A huge reward? And that bitch's marriage is on the rocks? Talk about killing two birds." Ciara descended the stairs ahead of her mom a few minutes later, but stopped when she heard Dean's lighter, remembering the sound from when she was blindfolded in the cabin. "Mommy!" she cried, and ran into Hope's arms. "What is it, Sweetheart?" asked a concerned Hope, stroking her daughter's hair.

At the DiMera mansion, Nicole had just finished shredding Dr. Baker's letter to Sami when Sami rang the doorbell. Sami had dropped by to return Sydney's toy giraffe, but confessed she had an ulterior motive: to find out what was going on between Rafe and Nicole. Nicole admitted that she and Rafe didn't like each other, and although she knew Rafe had been good to Sami, Nicole thought he was untrustworthy, manipulative, and dangerous.

Sami scoffed, but Nicole asserted that she was merely worried that Rafe would hurt Sami more than he already had. She added gently, "He has some serious problems, and if that weren't true, you would probably still be a couple." An upset Sami left. Nicole picked up a picture of Sydney. "I did what I had to do, Syd," she murmured. "Sami and Rafe can't be together, so that we can be-always and forever."

Rafe visited Sister Theresa at the convent to ask what she remembered about Grace's birth. She didn't understand how that would help him discover how Grace had died, but was more than willing to answer his questions. Rafe showed the nun a picture of Nicole, and asked if Nicole had given birth at the same time as Sami.

Sister Theresa recognized the photo of "Mary" as the pregnant woman who had told her about the Fairway Clinic in the first place, as Mary had planned to have her baby there, as well, although Sister Theresa didn't think Mary had given birth there that same night. The nun continued that Mary had returned to the convent to thank Sister Theresa for her comfort-and to see Grace. Rafe asked if Sister Theresa would be at the convent for a few hours, because he hoped to return with answers to all of her-and his-questions.

Roman went to visit Sami at the townhouse. She filled him in about how strangely Nicole and Rafe had been acting, and how Nicole thought Rafe was "some kind of a nut job." She asked her dad for his objective opinion. Roman admitted that, based on what Sami had told him, Nicole might have a point-but the only thing that mattered was what Sami thought.

Rafe dropped by the mansion to talk to Nicole, who tried to get rid of him. Rafe refused to leave, stating that he'd just been to visit their mutual friend, Sister Theresa, at the Convent of the Holy Cross. Nicole pretended she'd never heard of the nun or the convent. "Why are you doing this?" she asked. "Do you miss work? The FBI fired you, so you feel the need to chase every phantom clue that blows through your cabana?"

Rafe filled Nicole in about what Sister Theresa had told him, asserting that Nicole had pointed Sami to the clinic because she knew Sami was pregnant with E.J.'s baby and wanted to keep tabs on her and then Grace. "You hovered over her like a vulture, just waiting to drop in-and now you're going to tell me why, Nicole."

Nicole insisted that none of that was true, and that Rafe had somehow manipulated a "poor, put-upon nun" into having a false memory. Rafe suggested that the two of them just head over to the convent to meet with Sister Theresa to clear up the mystery. When Nicole refused, Rafe threatened to call E.J. and Sami if she didn't go with him. "One way or another, this is going to end. What's it going to be, Nicole?"

Rafe threatened to call Sami and E.J. if Nicole didn't accompany him to the convent. Nicole was still resistant, so Rafe started to call E.J., but Nicole stopped him. She agreed to go with him. Nicole picked up her purse and started to use her cell phone, but Rafe grabbed it from her and led her out of the house. At the convent, while they waited for Sister Theresa, Rafe interrogated Nicole. Sister Claire told Rafe that Sister Theresa had been called away to another convent. Nicole was off the hook, and she rubbed it in Rafe's face. She also took back her cell phone on the way out.

At the park, Sami ran into E.J. with Sydney. Sydney started to cry, so Sami tried to see what was wrong with her, but E.J. pushed her hand away from his daughter. Sami asked why he pushed her away, and E.J. said it was because he didn't want Sami to have anything to do with his daughter. Sami said it was too late for that, because she and Sydney bonded already when Sami babysat Sydney.

Sami explained that she took Sydney for a walk so that Nicole could take a nap. Sami said that when she returned, Nicole and Rafe were arguing. Sami asked E.J. if Nicole ever talked to him about Rafe, because they were hostile towards each other. Sami had assumed it was because they just hated each other. E.J. thought that Nicole didn't like Rafe, because he broke into their home and spied on them.

Sami defended Rafe when E.J. claimed that Nicole saw Rafe for who he was. E.J. asked Sami why she wasn't with Rafe if Rafe was the best man that Sami knew. Sami didn't want to answer. She said she and Rafe broke up because they had issues, not because she was concerned with Rafe's moral character as E.J. suggested. Sami said that E.J. wasn't honoring Grace's memory with his bitterness.

Arianna tried to reach Brady, but he avoided her call. Victor asked Brady to join him for lunch at the Brady Pub, but Brady wasn't interested, because Brady and Arianna had broken up. Victor said he was sorry to hear that, but Brady didn't believe him. Victor said he had apologized for being harsh with Arianna in the past. Victor told Brady that it was probably best that she and Brady broke up, because she obviously had poor judgment by letting Brady go.

E.J. told Sami to imagine how it would feel to have a child taken away from her. Brady interrupted Sami and E.J.'s conversation, much to Sami's chagrin. At the Java Café, Brady filled Sami in on Arianna's excuse for dumping him. It made him realize that Arianna's excuse didn't add up.

Arianna called Rafe to the park. She said she was feeling lonely, but she didn't want to go into detail, so she asked how his investigation was going. Rafe said that Nicole managed to slip through his fingers again. Rafe planned to call Sister Theresa again to get her to identify Nicole. Arianna asked Rafe to let Sami help him figure it out, but he didn't think he could tell Sami until he had proof. Rafe had a feeling that whatever he found out would help Sami get over her grief.

When Nicole returned home, Stefano thought about how he overheard the tail end of Rafe and Nicole's conversation as they left to go to the convent. Meanwhile, Nicole kissed E.J. and told him she missed him. E.J. sensed that Nicole seemed rattled. She denied it, but she asked when they planned to go on their honeymoon to Paris. E.J. wondered why she brought it up, and suspected that she was trying to get away from something or someone-- like Rafe.

E.J. told Nicole about his conversation with Sami. Nicole admitted to letting Sami take Sydney for a while, because Nicole was tired. E.J. reminded Nicole how he felt about Sami. Nicole agreed to end her friendship with Sami. E.J. asked Nicole what she and Rafe were fighting about. Nicole said she was fighting with Rafe, because Rafe was acting like a jerk, and she didn't like the way that he treated Sami.

E.J. took a phone call and left the room. Stefano walked in and told Nicole how he helped her avert disaster by taking care of Sister Theresa. Nicole asked if Stefano killed the nun, but Stefano denied it. Nicole asked when the nun would return, and Stefano said Sister Theresa would not return for "the foreseeable future," so Nicole could have peace of mind.

Philip stopped by Maggie's house to see Melanie, and Melanie was expecting Philip to blame her for Stephanie seeing Philip and Melanie's sex tape. However, Philip wanted to apologize istead. Melanie believed Philip was sorry, but she wondered what he was sorry about. Philip said he was sorry that he doubted Melanie. He admitted that he thought that Melanie had posted the footage online of them having sex, but Bo told Philip that the man responsible for the video said Melanie had nothing to do with it.

Philip apologized for assuming that Melanie was behind the video in the first place. Melanie forgave Philip, and he thanked her for being the only person he could trust. Philip said that he and Melanie were kindred spirits. He said no one else could see into his soul like Melanie could. He said it took him awhile to realize what a great friend she was.

Ciara walked downstairs and heard Dean opening and shutting his cigarette lighter. She recognized the sound as the same sound that one of the kidnappers made, so she yelled out for Hope. Hope hurried to Ciara's side and asked what was wrong. Hope calmed Ciara down and told her that Dean was one of the officers who saved her. Dean continued to play with his lighter. Ciara whispered in Hope's ear, "It's him."

At the pub, Bo followed up on a lead from someone who saw Brenda kissing one of the suspects. Justin showed up and told Bo that he wired the money into Dean's account at Hope's request. Bo wondered why Justin didn't stay out of it, and Justin said he wanted to be there for Hope, despite the fact that it would anger Bo. Justin accused Bo of being reckless with the way he handled Ciara's kidnapping. Bo reminded Justin that departmental policy was not to pay ransom, because if they did, the child might die.

Victor told Bo that Justin should stay out of Bo's argument with Hope. Victor said that Bo did what he thought was best. Bo said he had hoped that Hope would see that he did what he knew was right, and see things from a cop's perspective, but Hope was more upset than ever. Victor defended Hope. Bo asked if he was expected to forget about police policy and hope that he didn't get fired. Victor said Bo should do that if that was what it took to save his marriage.

Bo didn't understand why he was the bad guy in their marriage. Victor urged Bo to go home to his wife and work it out. Bo followed up on the witness who supposedly saw Brenda with the other kidnapping suspect, but the witness didn't pan out. Victor advised Bo to be contrite with Hope and to "fall" on his "sword."

Hope put Ciara down and stared at Dean's cigarette lighter. Dean asked what Hope was looking at, and she said she was thinking about his reward and didn't want him to wait. She suggested that they go to the bank right away, because it would be quicker than the wire transfer she had planned. The phone rang, but Dean suggested they let the machine pick up. Bo left a message, and Dean and Hope heard him talk about the third kidnapping suspect.

Hope hurried to the door, but Dean stopped her. Hope said she was in a hurry because she wanted him to get the reward money. Dean pulled out his gun and announced that he was calling the shots. Hope begged Dean not to scare Ciara. Dean told her that it was better that Ciara was scared than dead. Hope asked what Dean wanted. Dean said that Bo forced him to kill his girlfriend and her brother because Bo went on television to appeal for help finding the kidnapper.

Hope urged Dean to take the money and go far away, and she promised that she wouldn't tell anyone about him. Justin knocked on the door. Dean ordered Hope to get rid of Justin or Dean would kill Ciara. Dean called Ciara over. When Hope opened the door, Justin updated her on the transfer of the reward money. Justin wondered why Hope was in such a hurry. She said it was because she loved to cook and had something on the stove, so she wanted to get out of there.

Justin asked Hope again whether something was wrong, because she seemed stressed. Hope said it was nothing and repeated that she had something on the stove. Justin pretended to buy her excuse. Dean told Hope to decide -- either they both went for a ride with Dean, or Dean would kill them in the house. Justin returned and wrestled with Dean for the gun.

Hope told Ciara to go upstairs, while Hope went for her gun. Dean knocked Justin out and ran over to Hope. He pushed Hope against the mantel, knocking her out. Ciara rushed to Hope. Justin got up and grabbed Dean again. Dean and Justin wrestled, and the gun went off.

Mia was at the Java Café, writing in her journal about her conflicted feelings for Chad. Will was sitting nearby, but hadn't noticed that Mia was there. Mia had just typed that she and Chad shared a bond that could never be broken, when she spilled her drink. When she got up to grab some napkins, Will looked up and saw what was happening, so he jumped up and began to wipe up the spill.

Mia returned and found Will staring at her computer screen. Mia angrily declared that her journal was supposed to be private, but he insisted he'd only read a little-by accident. He admitted that he'd read what she wrote about her bond with Chad and wanted to know what that meant. Mia reminded him that Chad had been her first, but it was over and she no longer cared about him.

Will wasn't convinced, pointing out how Mia and Chad had been staring at each other at the dance. Mia insisted that she only cared about Will, but he was angry about all the things he'd had to learn about her from other people, and didn't feel like he could trust her anymore. He knew there was something else she was keeping from him, but she couldn't tell him what it was. He declared that they were through and stormed out.

Chad bumped into Maggie outside the Brady Pub. Maggie thought the two of them should have a little chat, since she knew Mia had lied to cover for Chad the day he'd broken into Maggie's house. Chad reluctantly joined her at a table. Maggie wanted to know what Chad had hoped to find by breaking in. Chad told her that Mia had a secret, and he needed to find out what it was. Maggie didn't think it was any of his business, and he should respect Mia's wishes if she didn't want him to know.

Chad maintained that he didn't believe that Mia had been to rehab, and wondered why she had lied. Maggie gently urged him to just drop it and get over Mia, because she was dating Will. Chad replied that he'd stopped being interested in other girls the minute he'd met Mia. "So don't tell me to get over her, because I can't."

A while later, Chad found Mia sitting alone at the Java Café, looking miserable. He asked what had happened, and she told him that Will had broken up with her. Chad was happy because he thought he could get Mia back with Will out of the picture, but Mia insisted that she would never get back together with Chad. Chad wanted to know why. "Because you ruined everything!" she replied, grabbing her things and heading for the door. "Just stay away from me, okay? Just leave me alone!"

Maggie was surprised to see Will as she left the pub. He glumly informed her that he'd just broken up with Mia because she hadn't been honest with him, and he thought it had something to do with Chad. "Oh, Honey," Maggie exclaimed, pulling Will into a comforting hug.

Bo and Roman were at the Brady Pub, discussing the kidnapping case. Bo confided that although they had saved Ciara, his and Hope's marriage might be another story. Roman was confident that they would eventually work things out. Bo wasn't so sure, citing how Justin had been interfering by maintaining that Bo had recklessly put Ciara's life in danger. Roman suggested that Bo and Hope get away on a sailing vacation, and take Ciara with them, to focus on their family. Bo agreed to consider it, but worried that it was already too late.

As Dean and Justin struggled, Hope went for her gun, telling Ciara to go upstairs. Dean punched Justin hard, disabling him, and then ran at Hope, slamming her head against the mantel and knocking her out for a moment. Ciara ran to Hope, and while Dean stood over them, Justin jumped back up and grabbed Dean from behind. They fought again, until suddenly, Dean's gun went off.

When Dean stood up and Justin didn't, an angry Hope called Dean a bastard for killing an innocent man. With his gun aimed at Hope's head, Dean argued that it was actually her fault for allowing Bo to ignore the ransom demand. Hope agreed, begging Dean to just run with the money and let her and Ciara go. Dean wouldn't go for it, knowing that she would send the cops after him as soon as he was gone. Hope distracted Dean and grabbed for his gun, and yelled for Ciara to run.

Ciara was almost out the front door when Dean regained control of the gun and yanked the girl back inside. "You try a stupid move like that again, you are dead," he threatened Hope. "Then you better pray to God you kill me," Hope hissed back, hugging Ciara tightly to her. "You touch one hair on my daughter's head, and I'll kill you myself."

Dean demanded that Hope show him where the rope and duct tape were, so he could tie the two of them up before they went "for a little ride," with Justin's body in the trunk. Hope consented to lead him to the garage, but he realized that she'd only agreed because the neighbors would see them, so he decided to make do with something else.

Meanwhile, Justin had come to, and stealthily got out his phone and dialed Bo, keeping his hand and the phone hidden next to him. Bo was alone at the Brady Pub bar when he saw Justin's picture on his phone. He answered reluctantly, "All right, man, what do you want?" But instead of Justin, he heard Hope's voice saying, "Dean, listen to me: you can do whatever you want to me, but you leave my daughter alone." In a flash, Bo was out the door.

Dean refused Hope's request, so she asked why he had kidnapped Ciara in the first place. He hotly explained that she had stolen his promotion, even though he had done all the work. "You whored your way up the ranks, and left me with nothing," he spat. Although she begged again for him to leave Ciara out of it, he ordered her up the stairs to look for something with which to tie them up.

When they returned, Hope was still carrying Ciara, plus a bunch of scarves and a jug of bleach. Dean ordered her to tie Ciara up with the scarves and gag her. Just then, Justin groaned. While Dean was distracted, aiming his gun to finish Justin off, Bo burst through the door. He quickly overpowered Dean and wrestled his gun away from him. They began fighting, and although Dean landed a couple of punches, Bo soon had the upper hand, pummeling Dean within an inch of his life.

A frightened Hope was shouting at Bo to stop when two uniformed officers rushed in and pulled him off of Dean. As they handcuffed Dean, Hope at last put Ciara down, and Ciara ran to her dad. Bo clutched her to him with relief, while Hope checked on an unconscious Justin, ordering the other officers to call for an ambulance.

Although handcuffed and restrained by the two cops, Dean taunted Bo for screwing up and forcing Dean to kill Brenda and Kyle. "If you'd just paid the ransom money, none of this would've happened. And now two people are dead-three, once your cousin croaks-and the nightmares that your daughter's going to have for the rest of her life..." Bo cut him off, ordering the cops to get Dean out of there. Dean shouted over his shoulder as they led him out, "Still feel like a hero, Commissioner? Was it worth it?"

An emotional Arianna made a phone call from the park. "Just please call me as soon as you get this, because we need to talk. Something's happened." Victor approached and sarcastically expressed his sympathy for her breakup with Brady. Arianna retorted coldly, "Go to hell." Unfazed, Victor noted that Arianna should go home, because there were lots of unsavory people in the park at night, and then strolled away.

At Maggie's, Philip told Melanie that he regretting having taken her friendship for granted. He hugged her and seemed about to kiss her when Brady walked in. Brady explained that Maggie had asked him to pick up some brochures for the twelve -step meeting that night. Philip thanked Brady for getting the video off the Internet, but Brady was livid that Philip was making the moves on Melanie again so soon after Stephanie had dumped him.

Melanie tried to defend Philip, while Brady tried to get her to see that Philip was only using her. Philip declared that he cared a great deal about Melanie, and he didn't regret the night they'd spent together. A grateful Melanie suggested that Philip should leave, so he did.

Brady wanted to know if Melanie was still in love with Philip, because he didn't want to see her get hurt. She insisted she and Philip were just friends, although she let it slip that she wanted more. Changing the subject, Melanie asked about Arianna. Brady confessed that Arianna had broken up with him, but before he could explain why, Arianna knocked on the back door.

As soon as she saw Brady, Arianna started to leave again, but Brady went into the other room to look for Maggie's pamphlets. Melanie wanted to know why Arianna had broken up with Brady, when they seemed so perfect together. Arianna admitted that Brady was a great guy, but she knew she wasn't good enough for him.

Brady returned just then, unable to find the brochures. Arianna insisted on leaving so Brady and Melanie could talk, but stopped on her way out. She pointed out that Salem was a small town, so she and Brady would undoubtedly run into each other occasionally. "If you could do me a favor, and if you see me, could you just pretend that you didn't-and I'll do the same, okay?" Brady replied curtly, "Yeah, that works for me."

After Arianna had gone, Melanie told Brady that if Arianna had broken up with him because she didn't love him, then she was lying.

Philip went to pick up the rest of his things from the Kiriakis mansion, where he ran into Victor. Upon learning that Victor knew about the video, Philip was ready to hear his father berate him. Instead, Victor was pleased that Philip had shown Stephanie who was boss so she no longer had all the power. A disgusted Philip gave up trying to deal with Victor and headed for the stairs, but Victor urged him not to move out.

Victor promised that Philip could return on his own terms. Philip was skeptical, but Victor assured him, "The older I get, the more I realize that I want my family around me, close by... I love you very much, and I want you to have a good life. That's more important to me than anything." Philip hugged his dad and told him that he loved him, too, and then agreed to move back home.

Arianna walked through the park again, on the phone with Troy. When he informed her that he hadn't been able to arrange a meeting with the big boss, she angrily declared that she was taking her business elsewhere.

In a motel room a while later, Arianna spoke tearfully. "Thank you for meeting me. I know that this is risky, but I can't do this anymore. I had to walk away from someone I really care about. Please don't make me do this." She gratefully accepted a tissue from her contact-Roman Brady.